Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-18
DALLAS NoRrHmEsrEKN.
DALLAS EFFORT TO REACH THE NORTH
WEST AND PANHANDLE.
Dallas News,

WEST AND PANHANDLE.
Dallas News.
DALLAS, TEX, May 16.-I notice in yes
terday's issue of the News q cOmmunica-
ton over the signature of General George
F. Afford, entitled ga Coal and Iron Rail
road Company" 1t is replete with data
of the gravest significance to Dallas, and
should receive the most earnest and the
promptest attention of every Well-wisher
of this city. The matter becomes more
intensely and painfully grave in view
of the fact that our active and
ever-alert rival on our west is
now eager to wrench from our grasp
yet another important railroad to her
great advantages and our most serious
detriment. Only the other day and the
Fort rejoiced at TeXRrkana over our futile
efforts and her own victory. We
swallowed the untoWard defeat, and aow
quick upon its heels she is about to trip
US up again by boarding US in our own
den. For on yesterday came g PROPOSE
ton from some of her leading citizens
urging that they desire to negotiate for
the construction of the road to Archer
and through the coal and iron and copper
fields and rich agricultural section
between.
There is danger, there is disaster in
this to Dallas. This one step alone in
the line of her policy will not only make
her to the world the undoubted, the ad-
mitted railway center of Texas, not only
the conceded Quickest city OF the south,
but what is more, the, great manufact-
uring city Of the state, soon to develop
into a second Atlanta, a Chatta-
nooga or a Birmingham, while Dali
las will be relegated to the rear.
Possessing the best of water in abund-
ance, cheap and ample fuel lis the only
other thing needed to swell her popula-
ton and send the life-blood pulsing
through the veins of thousands of me-
chanics and manufacturing workers.
This is what the Iron and Coal road
from the Fort to Archer means, for it will
supply her with the low priced coal
which monopoly now furnishes to
Dallas at such high figures.
1t will bring to her pay-rolls and all that
this implies, to the woful injury of DIAL
las.
AID yet another thing-it will bring to
her still another road, the Chicago and
Rock Island. Thus, within sixty days,
she will have snatched from US three
railways, all of which Dallas might have
had, were we but One-half as alive. And
Dallas rests upon her oars in her self
assumption of perfected greatness and
complete beauty.
Are our business men, are our real es-
tate owners awake to the situation? For
the mere loan or advance of 100000 or
5000, 900 mot donation, but an advance),
Dallas can place herself in quick and di-
rect communication, through a tier of
splendid counties, with two great trunk
lines to meet in the northwest, and secure
to US the manifold agricultural products,
the mineral wealth and the much needed
fuel.
Can it be possible that having built q
good fence about our premises we shall
refuse to 60 to the little expense of put
ting up gate to secure what our fencing
operations were intended to preserve, and
which will be so damaged and ravaged
for the lack of it And see what the
proposition as put by General Afford pro-
poses to the subscribers to the stock and
to the citizen. He says:
The cost of construction and equipment
with rolling stock will be not exceeding
$4,000 per mile, equal TO, say 81 ,250, 900.
There are three different reliable con-
tractors who will enter into contract to
deliver the complete road, fully equipped,
for this sum- The right of way for the
entire distance will be donated, in addi-
ton to which it is expected that the city
of Dallas, Grapevine, Roanoke and Deca-
tur will donate in cash, labor, ETC., st
least 100000. Between Decatur and
Archer City, distance of seventy miles
through as fine country as there is on this
continent, the people will donate 20 per
CENT of their lands for distance Of FIVE
miles on each side of the road, making
125, 1000 acres, which, on the completion
of the road, will certainly be worth at
least $40 per acre, equal to 81, 250, 900. /
There will be about twelve new towns,
some smaH, but others very impor-
tant, particularly those established |
at the coal and iron mines along